Explore the Family Name Sober
The meaning of Sober
1. English (Durham): nickname for a person of moderate habits, or a teetotaler, from Middle English sobre ‘sober, moderate, temperate’. This surname is now rare in Britain. 2. Slovenian (Šober): variant of Šobar, an occupational name for a (wood) turner, derived from German Schaber. 3. Slovenian (Šober): from German Schober. Compare Shober. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Sauber.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sober in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Sober has seen a slight decrease in rank from 22,723 in 2000 to 23,065 in 2010 – a drop of 1.51%. However, the actual number of people bearing this surname increased by 5.02% during the same period, from 1,055 to 1,108 individuals. The proportion per 100,000 people with this surname also saw a small reduction of 2.56%, indicating that even though more people have this surname, its overall prevalence in relation to other surnames decreased slightly.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,723 | #23,065 | -1.51% |
| Count | 1,055 | 1,108 | 5.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.39 | 0.38 | -2.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sober
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts within the populations carrying the Sober surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of holders of the Sober surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black declined by 24.21% and 30.49% respectively. Conversely, those identifying as two or more races saw an increase of 40.37%. White and Hispanic ethnic identities experienced minor changes, with a slight increase of 0.15% for White and 4.93% for Hispanic. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native population with the Sober surname experienced an increase of 10.53% over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.56% | 91.7% | 0.15% |
| Hispanic | 2.84% | 2.98% | 4.93% |
| Two or More Races | 1.61% | 2.26% | 40.37% |
| Black | 2.46% | 1.71% | -30.49% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.95% | 0.72% | -24.21% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.63% | 10.53% |